 MILNET Brief New Weapons, Q3-08 July, 2008 |
| MILNET Brief New Weapons, Q3-08 July, 2008 |
Q2-08, June 2008 Q2-07, May 2007 Q3-07, September 2007 Q4-07, December 2007
| Weapon
Acronym |
Who |
Description |
Status |
| New
Technology |
|||
Autonomous Real-time Ground Ubiquitous Surveillance - Imaging System (ARGUS-IS) DARPA |
U.S. |
"to provide military users a flexible and
responsive capability to find, track and monitor events and activities
of interest on a continuous basis in areas of interest. The overall objective is to increase situational awareness and
understanding enabling an ability to find and fix critical events in a
large area in enough time to influence events. ARGUS - IS provides
military users an "eyes-on" persistent wide area surveillance
capability to support tactical users in a dynamic battlespace or urban
environment." -DARPA (see DARPA Project Table) |
Study |
| Cognitive Technology Threat Warning System (CT2WS) | U.S. |
DARPA technology solicitation reads,
"...soldier-portable visual threat warning devices...development of
prototype soldier-portable digital imaging threat
queuing systems capable of effective detection ranges of 1-10 km
against dismounts and vehicles while simultaneously surveying a
120-degree or greater field of view (FOV). The system is envisioned to
queue the operator to potential threats in the FOV; target
identification is presumed to be a subsequent action taken by the
user/operator and is not a required function of the CT2WS system" - DARPA, 4/2008 (see DARPA Project Table) - NewScientist |
Proposal |
Deep Green |
U.S. |
"University of Southern California (USC) researchers are developing
several parts of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Deep Green program. Their efforts are intended to help commanders on the battlefield to anticipate enemy moves.
‘The system interweaves anticipatory planning with adaptive execution
to help the commander think ahead, identify when a plan is going awry
and prepare options before they are needed.’ Deep Green will be able to
add computing resources on the spot if the problem faced by a commander
is too difficult." - ZDNet, 5/1/2008 - DARPA |
Development |
| Deep Speak Reliable Urban Communications  DARPA |
U.S. |
"Reliable communications enables our warfighters to fight together
cohesively and cooperatively, thus magnifying our striking power.
Critical communications links may be broken in the urban warfighting
scenarios where radio-frequency signals are severely attenuated by the
surrounding infrastructure. The Deep Speak program is developing new
networking, coding and waveform techniques that enable communications
signals to penetrate the surrounding buildings and underground
facilities, and thus maintain the warfighters' links to each other and
the global network. A Deep Speak demonstration is expected in 2007" - DARPA (see DARPA Project Table) |
Prototype |
Prompt Global Strike Weaponsblog.org |
U.S. Navy |
"...One variant of the proposed 40-inch ballistic missile could be deployed
aboard four Ohio-class submarines the Navy recently converted for
conventional missions (see GSN,
Oct. 30, 2007), another variant might ride aboard Aegis cruiser ships
to augment ground-based missile defenses, according to one senior
service official..With an estimated 4,500-mile range, the Navy’s conceptual missile might
offer nearly as much reach as the nuclear-tipped Trident D-5 missile
deployed today on 14 Ohio-class submarines, noted the senior official. Congress last year shelved the Pentagon’s proposal for arming some D-5s with conventional warheads, citing concerns that - NTI Global Security Newswire |
Informal Proposal |
| Information Assurance Dynamic Quarantine of Computer-Based Worm Attacks  DARPA |
U.S. |
"develop reconfigurable, ad hoc mobile
network based systems and dynamic quarantine defenses to defend against cyber attack and to support successful
missions in the face of malicious attacks to include computer worms, malicious code, remote cyber intrusions, and
soft and hard run-time failures. STO's development of robust, secure interconnectivity that far exceeds today's
capabilities and that guarantees continuity of communication across network boundaries" "develop the capability to automatically detect and respond to worm-based attacks against military networks, provide advanced warning to other DoD enterprise networks, study and determine the worm's propagation and epidemiology, and provide off-line rapid response forensic analysis of malicious code to identify its capabilities, modalities, and future behavior. Further, the program will develop defenses against cyber attacks on mobile ad hoc network (MANET) systems that can to sense failures and attacks and auto-recover in real-time. Technical approaches include the automatic and dynamic quarantine response and forensics analysis of malicious code that will employ static and dynamic code analysis for program understanding." -DARPA, 2005 (see DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
Integrated Sensor is Structure (ISIS) DARPA |
U.S. |
"develop a stratospheric airship based autonomous unmanned sensor with
years of persistence in surveillance and tracking of air and ground
targets. It will have the capability to track the most advanced cruise
missiles at 600 km and dismounted enemy combatants at 300 km. The ISIS
program will develop the technologies that enable extremely large
lightweight phased-array radar antennas to be integrated into an
airship platform. ISIS uses a large aperture instead of high power to
meet radar performance requirements. This approach exploits the
platform's size and conforms to the platform's limitations on weight
and power. Major technical challenges are the development of
ultra-lightweight antennas, antenna calibration technologies, power
systems, station keeping approaches, and airships that support
extremely large antennas." -DARPA (See PDF 2.0MB, DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
| LAN Droids LAN Droids  DARPA |
U.S. |
"will help to solve the urban communications
problem by creating intelligent autonomous robotic radio relay nodes,
called LANdroids (Local Area Network droids), which work to establish
and maintain mesh networks that support voice and data traffic. Through
autonomous movement and intelligent control algorithms, LANdroids can
mitigate many of the communications problems present in urban settings,
e.g., relaying signals into shadows and making small adjustments to
reduce multi-path effects. LANdroids will be pocket-sized and inexpensive. The concept of
operations is that warfighters will carry several LANdroids, which they
drop as needed during deployment. The LANdroids then form the mesh
network and work to maintain it - establishing a communications
infrastructure that supports the warfighters in that region." -DARPA, see DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
Large Area Coverage Optical Search-while-Track and Engage (LACOSTE) |
U.S. |
"develops extremely wide field-of-view coded aperture imaging technology
to support single sensor day/night persistent tactical surveillance of
all moving vehicles in a large urban battlefield. LACOSTE coded
aperture imaging technology focuses on achieving a very wide
instantaneous field-of-regard (~900 cone angle) using multiple
simultaneous wide Field-Of-View (FOV) images. For persistent tactical
surveillance, the coded aperture provides sufficient resolution across
a large coverage area (~500km2) while operating from a significant
stand-off distance (~20km)" - DARPA (see DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
| Long View inverse synthetic aperture LADAR |
U.S. |
DARPA project to "develop an inverse synthetic aperture LADAR that will enable the
high-resolution imaging of geostationary satellites when coupled to a large aperture telescope.
Specifically, the technologies being developed in the Long View program are an optical reference
oscillator that is stable over the propagation time to a geostationary satellite (GEOSTAT) and
back (about a quarter of a second) and auto focus algorithms that restore image quality that has
been degraded due to atmospheric turbulence and optical reference oscillator instability over
the imaging time (about 100 seconds). These two technologies are required in order to make
inverse synthetic aperture LADAR systems feasible for objects in geostationary orbits." - DARPA, 2006 (see DARPA Project Table) Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Linthicum Heights, Md., is being awarded a $12,787,169 cost-plus-fixed fee contract. To be finished by September 2008 - Military & Aerospace News, 12/2006 - GlobalSecurity.com |
Development |
|
Multispectral Adaptive Networked Tactical Imaging System (MANTIS) VIDEO |
U.S. |
"integrate and demonstrate a soldier-worn
visualization system, consisting of a head-mounted multispectral sensor
suite with a high resolution display and a high performance vision
processor (ASIC), connected to a soldier-worn power supply and radio.
The helmet-mounted MANTIS Vision Processor will provide the soldier
with digitally fused, multispectral video imagery in real time from the
Visible/Near Infrared (VNIR), the Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) and the
Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) helmet-mounted sensors via the high
resolution visor display. The processor adaptively fuses the digital
imagery from the multispectral sensors providing the highest context,
best nighttime imagery in real-time under varying battlefield
conditions. The system also allows the video imagery to be recorded and
played back on demand and allows the overlay of battlefield
information. MANTIS will exploit the existing soldier radio network and
provide soldier-to-soldier sharing of video clips viewed as
picture-in-picture on their helmet mounted displays. MANTIS will
"regain the nighttime advantage" and "exploit the net" to provide the
individual soldier with unprecedented situational awareness." - DARPA (see DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
| Quantum Sensors Program |
U.S. |
"Phase I of the Quantum Sensors Program investigates several quantum
sensor approaches to determine whether the resolution improvement
through entanglement is robust to outdoor propagation and interaction
with targets. In the “Type I” approach sensors transmit entangled
photons to the target whereas “Type II” sensors constrain the entangled
state to the detector. A third approach, based on ghost imaging, is
also being explored. If any of these approaches is robust, Phase II of
the program will define component technology requirements for
development of quantum sensors during Phase III." - DARPA (see DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
Railgun How Stuff works |
U.S. |
"The electromagnetic rail gun, or rail gun for short. Using a
magnetic field powered by electricity, a rail gun can accelerate a
projectile up to 52,493 feet (16,000 meters) per second. And while
current Navy guns have a maximum range of 12 miles, rail guns can hit a
target 250 miles away in six minutes." - How Stuff Works (Highly recommended article!) U.S. Navy is developing a rail gun for the DDX-1000 Zumwalt class destroyer. |
Development |
Self Awareness/Space Situation Awareness (SASSA) UniverseToday |
U.S. |
"developing
sensors to pinpoint a ground-based laser attempting to blind one of its
spy satellites..."sense and attribute" a laser attack...will need to
sense a broad range of laser and radio wavelengths.
"Such warning receivers are known and understood technology," says Rob
Hewson, editor of the journal Jane's Air Launched Weapons. The
challenge, he says, will be making the technology light enough as well
as figuring out precisely where a laser beam is coming from....This
month, Lockheed Martin and Boeing revealed their SASSA proposals. In
addition to detecting and identifying debilitating laser attacks, SASSA
will also sense attempts to jam a satellite's radio transmissions." - NewScientist, 5/2008 - UniverseToday, 5/2008 |
Development |
| Synthetic Aperture LADAR for Tactical Imaging (SALTI) | U.S. |
"develop and demonstrate a Synthetic Aperture Laser RADAR (LADAR) sensor
capable of long range, high resolution synthetic aperture imaging from
a Contractor operated aircraft to demonstrate performance and validate
readiness for transition to an operational customer" - DARPA, 11/2007 (see DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
| Symbiotic Communications Program (SYCO) |
U.S. |
"developing airborne
passive radar system technology which will enable battlefield
situational awareness and precision targeting from low-observable
platforms, in clear and adverse weather. Successful feasibility
experiments have been completed, and a SYCO airborne test-bed is now
being developed. The SYCO test-bed will demonstrate the complete system
concept, including passive-mode high resolution Synthetic Aperture
Radar (SAR) operation, with real-time processing, display and
exploitation on the aircraft. The test-bed will be ready for flight in
early CY2007, and a series of flight tests are planned during the
remainder of FY2007 to demonstrate the technical and operational
performance of the concept." - DARPA (see DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
Tactical Control Plane DARPA |
U.S. |
"will improve end-to-end network performance between the Continental United States (CONUS)
operating base and forward deployed tactical units. Control Plane seeks to develop the ability for individual hosts
(end-points) to learn essential characteristics about the network path between themselves and other hosts, allowing
the hosts to shape any transmission to pass through the network with the minimal network load. Additionally, when
multiple network paths are available, a host will be able to either choose the path that best meets its requirements
or simultaneously transmit over multiple paths. This technology will support the Defense Department's Global
Information Grid concept of operations." - DARPA (see DARPA Project Table) |
Development |
| Conventional
Battlefield Weapons |
|||
| Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System Program (JTRS) |
U.S. |
"Northrop Grumman Receives $240 Million...[to] develop a communications capability, which includes two
software-defined, multifunction radio form factors for the use by the
U.S. Department of Defense and potential use by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security. AMF JTRS will enable operations of highly secure,
high performance military tactical networks, connecting air, land and
sea forces to communicate in a network-centric environment. The AMF
system will interoperate with legacy data and voice circuits used by
the U.S., allied or NATO military forces, as well as communicate with
civilian first-responder voice and data systems used in disaster relief
and other national emergencies." - Northrop Grumman |
Development |
| Archer Self Propelled 155m Artillery  Army Technology.com  Army Technology.com |
Sweden |
"BAE
Systems Bofors in Karlskoga, Sweden, has developed the FH77 BW L52
self-propelled howitzer, a 155mm howitzer on a 6×6 chassis. The
howitzer has a range of 40km using current standard ammunition and 60km
with the M982 Excalibur rounds...can also fire the Bonus
top attack rounds developed by Bofors and Giat (now Nexter)...is fully
autonomous...The vehicle platform is a modification of the Volvo A30D
6×6
articulated all-terrain hauler vehicle...cabin and engine
compartment are fully armoured and the cab is fitted with bullet and
fragmentation-proof windows..seats up to four personnel...operated by
three or four crew...The gun uses...cradle and recoil system from the
current generation FH 77B towed field howitzer...is
equipped with a fire control system, laying system and
inertial navigation and a muzzle velocity radar. Data from the radar is
downloaded to the onboard computerised fire control system...can use
other remote weapon stations on the market.A remote weapon system,
comprising a day and night sight with a
7.62mm general-purpose machine gun, is installed on the roof of the
cab. ..Lemur family of
gyro-stabilised, fragment-protected, electro-optical sights and
remotely controlled (RC) weapon systems...machine gun can be
aimed and fired from inside the armour-protected cabin....The vehicle
carries 20 150mm projectiles in the fully automatic
magazine and an additional 20 projectiles for reload... can
use NATO modular charges or Bofors Uniflex 2 modular charges...With BAE
Bofors / Nexter Bonus rounds the range is 35km. The range of
the gun is extended to 60km with the precision-guided Raytheon / Bofors
XM982 Excalibur round. The Excalibur shell is corrected in flight
towards a pre-programmed trajectory by a GPS guidance system. The
howitzer has a continuous fire rate of 75 rounds an hour, an
intensive fire rate of 20 rounds (i.e. a full magazine) in 2.5 minutes,
and a salvo fire rate of three rounds in 15 seconds.The Swedish Army
has a requirement for 24 systems (two battalions).
Following a decision on procurement, deliveries could begin in 2009" - Army Technology.com (paraphrased) |
Development |
| Astra Beyond Visual Range AAM -- BVRAAM  Indian Missiles |
Indian Air Force |
Astra uses a HTPB solid-fuel propellant
and a 15 kg HE (high-explosive) warhead, activated by a proximity fuse. The
missile has a maximum speed of Mach 4+ and a maximum altitude of 20 km. The
missile is designed to pull a lateral acceleration of 40g in both yaw and pitch
planes using 4 fins at the rear as all moveable control surfaces. The
missile can also be launched in close combat. Although designed to use a
locally developed solid fuel propellant, DRDO is also looking at rocket/ramjet
propulsion to provide greater range and enhanced kinematic performance. - Indidan Missiles will use a mid course internal guidance system to track target aircraft. |
first test fired on 09 May 2003 |
| Broad Area Surveillance Intelligence Capability BASIC |
U.S. |
The Broad Area Surveillance Intelligence
Capability (BASIC) satellite system will cost between $2 billion and $4
billion. It would add to the secret constellation of satellites that
now circle the Earth, producing still images that are pieced together
into one large mosaic. A single satellite can
visit one spot on Earth twice every day. BASIC's additional satellites
will allow the photos to be updated more often, alerting U.S.
government users to potential trouble, humanitarian crises or natural
disasters like floods...The National Reconnaissance Office ultimately won
the right to buy and operate the satellites, besting the Air Force. And
military commanders' needs trumped the White House. They will, for the
first time, have the power to dictate what satellites will photograph
when they pass overhead. The concept is known as "assured tasking." A U.S. commercial satellite launched in
September by DigitalGlobe can make out the outline of 20-inch object
from space... This year, GeoEye is launching a satellite with the ability
to see the outlines of a 16-inch object. By 2011, that capability is
expected to sharpen to nearly 10 inches. Secret government imagery
satellites are believed by experts to have better than six-inch
resolution." - Fox News |
Purchase |
| Camcopter S-100 Armed Drone with SAR  Wired |
NATO |
"...Schiebel S100 Camcopter
, armed with Thales' new Lightweight Multirole
Missile. The missile, first revealed in June, has a range of five miles and a
warhead capable of taking out air, sea and land targets including light
armored vehicles and bunkers. The Camcopter can carry two missiles and
has an endurance of six hours." - Wired (paraphrased) Recently is was flown with the PicoSAR, a synthetic aperture radar unit that enables "the mapping of the surrounding area. The CAMCOPTER S-100 operated at altitudes up to 3,000ft and PicoSAR was controlled via the datalink from the ground with imagery transmitted successfully back to the ground station." - Spaceb.war |
|
| Fury Armed Drone  Wired |
U.K/NATO |
"a close relative of the company's HERTI drone. It has a wing span of 41 feet and a cruising speed is around 100 mph.
BAE have already conducted live-fire tests with Thales Lightweight Multirole Missile. HERTI has flown classified missions in Afghanistan, and the requirement for an armed version may be derived from that experience." - Wired |
Short run, Classified Combat Ops |
GPS Block IIR (Image: Lockheed Martin) |
U.S. |
"The new GPS IIR satellites, which have a design life of 10 years, are
150 centimetres wide and 190 cm in height and depth ..the new satellite, the first of eight GPS IIR satellites built by
Lockheed Martin...aims to improve the
precision of the GPS system.
The
new spacecraft carries a beefed-up antenna panel, providing a stronger
signal to ground users, as well as three entirely new signals. Two will
help the US military prevent its GPS signals on ground vehicles,
aircraft and ships from being jammed and also improve the accuracy of
GPS-guided "smart weapons"...The third new signal will be a second frequency for civilian users,
reducing the navigation errors caused by the layer of charged particles
in the Earth's upper atmosphere." - New Scientist (paraphrased) |
1st of 8 Deployed |
Mantis Armed Surveillance Drone Wired |
U.K./NATO |
"...Revealed for the
first time by BAE at the Farnborough International Airshow outside
London.. The... deal with the Defense
Ministry...covers the first phase of development and flight
testing only and is armed with GBU-12
laser-guided bombs and Brimstone missiles on its six weapon pylons. The
twin-prop, T-tailed vehicle is equipped with a multi-sensor turret and
radar under the fuselage, and a satellite communications antenna in the
upper nose section...first flight currently scheduled for early 2009...Industrial partners on the new project include - Boston.com (paraphrased)
|
Technology Demonstrator |
| Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle MMEV  Army Technology.com |
Canada |
"Current ADATS mounted on the M113 armoured vehicle. It is also available in a
shelter-based version for fixed and in a palletised version, which can
be integrated with the Oerlikon Contraves Skyshield Air Defence
System... In September 2005, the Canadian Forces announced the design
and
development of 33 Multi-Mission Effects Vehicles (MMEV), to be based on
ADATS. The MMEV would combine anti-tank and air-defence capabilities on
one platform and be able to engage ground targets such as armoured
vehicles and bunkers, as well as aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial
vehicles and cruise missiles"20-target computer-aided threat evaluation in netted configuration,
assist the operator in weapon allocation to highest priority threats.
The system also has search-on-the move and sector search programming.
Range is 25km to an altitude of 8,600m. The MMEV project was cancelled in September 2005, however ADATS is now deployed on the M113. - Army Technology.com |
Develop/ Upgrade |
Vertical Launch MICA Short Range Air Defence System Army Technology.com  Army Technlogy.com |
Europe |
"VL Mica SHORAD, is built in ground and
ship-launched versions. The
modular VL Mica system includes a tactical operations centre with up to
four multi-round missile launchers...In December 2005, MBDA was awarded
a contract for the development of
the system (previously a private venture) for all three French forces.
VL Mica would be used to protect air bases for the Air Force, deployed
forces for the Army and as point defence for major surface vessels for
the Navy...The land-based missile system is mounted on a 5t truck. The
system
gives 360° coverage against fixed and rotary wing aircraft,
unmanned
air vehicles and air launched missiles. The system is fire and forget
and has all-weather, day and night capability to carry out simultaneous
engagement of multiple targets...VL Mica uses the air-to-air Mica
missile that has been ordered by the
French Air Force and Navy for Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft
and by the air forces of UAE, Greece and Taiwan for the Mirage
2000...In May 2006, VL Mica was successfully fired from a navalised
launcher.
VL Mica destroyed a target representing a sea-skimming anti-ship
missile at a range of 10km." - Army Technology.com |
Develop |
| Watchkeeper UAV Tactical UAV System  Army Technology.com TAC-unit Loading into C-130  Army Technology.com |
U.K. |
"the Thales Watchkeeper Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle (TUAV)
system...the number of Watchkeeper systems has not yet been formally
announced,
but is thought to be about 54 systems..includes the Marshall SV,
Cambridge ground station shelter and vehicles... Watchkeeper is a
tactical system
that will be operated in theatre by the British Army Royal
Artillery...The air vehicle will be capable of carrying a range of
sensors
including day and night cameras and surveillance radars. Two WK450 air
vehicles will be able to operate in tandem, with the second acting as a
communications relay. The ground control station will be network
enabled to ensure comprehensive communications links, for example to
airborne stand-off radar, attack aircraft and battlegroup headquarters.
A full Watchkeeper system can be deployed to theatre in a
single C-130 Hercules transport aircraft...
The Watchkeeper air vehicle, designated WK450, will be based on the
Elbit 450 Hermes tactical UAV..a proven system with
20,000 flying hours in service. US Naval Air Station Fallon Joint UAV
Test and
Evaluation Centre in Nevada conductedjoint interoperability trials of
the UAV...The air vehicle can be pre-programmed to carry out fully
autonomous
missions and can be redirected in flight by the operator on the
ground...take-off and landing can be piloted or automatic...is
equipped with GPS, dual computers and dual
datalinks...is powered by rotary engines from UAV Engines Ltd
(UEL) and uses a two-bladed pusher propeller. For long endurance
missions the air vehicle can be fitted with two
50l underwing auxiliary fuel tanks. The air vehicle has a typical
endurance of 17 hours...WK450 has a maximum payload capacity of 150kg.
The payload will include
day / night sensors, a laser designator and a Synthetic Aperture Radar
/ Ground Moving Target Indicator (SAR/GMTI).. will enter service in the
British armed forces Royal Artillery in 2010." - Army Technology.com (paraphrased) |
Development |